Mechanical counting-machine.



I'. W. RUSSELL, H. G. ATKINSON & P. E. BAKER. MECHANICAL GOUNTING MAGHINE.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 16, 1908. 932,331. Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC WILLIAM RUSSELL, OF REDDITCH, HENRY GARDINER ATKINSON, F HANDS/WORTH, AND FRANK EDWARD BAKER, 0F NORTHFIELD, ENGLAND.

MECHANICAL COUN'IING-MACI-IINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 24, 1909.

To all whom it may concern: Y Be it known that we, FREDERIC TWILLIAIII RUSSELL, of 135 Hewell road, Redditch, county of TWorcester, England, HENRY GARDINER ATKINSON, of 16 Robert road, Handsworth, county of Stafford, England, and FRANK EDWARD BAKER, of IBrinsop, eodland Road, Northeld, county of Vloreester, England, all subjects of the King of Great Britian, have invented certain new and use'lul Tmprovements in Mechanical Counting Devices, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to a device for counting the number of movements made by an object to which it may be attached, and primarily intended for counting the number of turns or oscillations made by skipping ropes or other similar moving bodies, and has reference to that class oi mechanism in which successive counter wheels are employed, the same being initially moved from or by the revolving or vibratory movement of the body whose movements are to be counted. Its object is to provide improved construction and arrangement of parts by which a more compact, simple and useful article is produced than hitherto. Ne attain this object by the arrangement of parts illustrated in SO the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a general sectional view orl our invention as applied, say, to the handle of a skipping rope. Fig. 2 shows the means by which the initial or prime movement is transferred to the leading counter wheel. Fig. 3 shows an exterior view of the indicating part of the device. Fig. e is a side view, and Fig. 5 an edge view of one of the counter wheels. Fig. 6 is a sectional view (on line A-B Fig. 8) showing the pawl-like means for intermittently transferring the movement of one counter Wheel to the next successive similar Wheel, and in which the said pawl-lile part is shown out of gear with the teeth or notches oi' the said wheel. Fig. 7 is a similar view to that of Fig. 6, but showing the pawl as engaging with one of the said teeth or notches. Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the group of the counter wheels. Eig. Q is a detached part sectional view showing the primary pawl piece, and Fig. 10 is a plan view of the said primary pawl. Fig. 11 shows an end and edge view in detail of one of the cams which lie between the counter wheels, and which also serve to operate the pawl-like mec-hanism.

ln the accompanying drawings, 13 represents a normally non-rotatable shaft which may be tubular or solid, provided at one end with a longitudinal Slot 14 or the like, and on the extremity of the same end is cut a screw thread to receive a nut 15 which also serves as a collar. Upon the shaft 13 are mounted the counter wheels 16, 17, and 15%, which are free to revolve thereon. These wheels consist ol disks provided on one side of their peripheries with notched cylindrical extensions 19, and upon these peripheries the numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, S, 9, are inscribed, embossed, or attached, that is to say, the periphery of each counter wheel is divided into ten equal parts, having notches 20 between them, in such manner that said extensions 1) serve as teeth, and are so formed that they may readily engage with the mechanism hereinafter described.

The wheels 16 and 17 have each a pawl or catch 21 mounted thereon upon the side opposite the cylindrical extensions 19, which pawl in each case engages with the next successive wheel as follows z-Slidably mounted on the shaft 13 between the wheels 16 and 17, and the wheels 17 and 1S are annular' cams 22 of such width as to properly separate said wheels one from another. The annular cams 22 are not completely closed but have each a gap or opening 22h, on one Side of which is provided with an inwardly projecting nger 22a, and on the other side of said opening the edge of the cam is beveled outwardly. These ngers 22'h1 engage the slot 14, so that while longitudinal Inovement is permitted, rotation (apart from the shaft) is prevented.

The pawls 21 on the rear side of the counter wheels 16 and 17 are, in the present instance, arranged to move diametrically across the dislportions of Said wheels so that the ends 21b thereof may at the proper time, enter the notches 20 ol the adjoining wheel and turn the same. Each pawl is retained in place on its wheel by lugs 23 and 24 projecting from the rear Side of said wheel, and, by means of a spring 25 between the lug 23 and the pawl, a portion. of the latter is constantly held in Contact with a cam '22.

thereon and When said paivl is brought into such osition that the ortion 21 a thereof is opposite the gap or opening 22b in the adj acent cam 22, the spring 25 slides the pawl radially so that its end 21b shall enter one of the notches 20 of the next succeeding counter Wheel and the portion 21EL drop into said gap. See Fig. 7. At the next movement of the pawl carrying Wheel, the pawl thereon Will turn the succeeding Wheel with which it is connected one tenth of a revolution and Will at the same time be disengaged from the notch 2O in said Wheel because the portion 21L of the pawl Will ride out of the gap or opening 22b onto the periphery of the cam 22. iee Fig. 6. rThe position of the gap'or opening 22b is such that when the Wheel carrying the paivl exposes to view the numeral 9 said paWl will be in position for the portion 21al whereof to enter said gap or opening.

rThe counter wheels and cam, (and Washers or the like when necessary) are held against each other by the spring 25 (see Fig. 1) in such a manner that the said Wheels are prevented by friction from rotation eX- cept when intentionallyT moved by the mechanism.

The other ond 27 of the shaft 13 is mounted to be turned in the article to Which the device is attached, or With which it may be embodied, as for instance, to the handle 28 of a skipping rope 29. The above described counting mechanism is inclosed in a case or sleeve 30 which is suitably secured to the handle 28, as for instance by screws at 31. A sight opening 32 is made in the case, through which one of the numerals on each of the counter Wheels may be read off. 'The case 80 is of such a length as to provide a space between its end Wall and the units count-er Wheel 16 to accommodate the crank or eccentric mechanism for rotating said units Wheel as follows :-As before intimated, 29 is a skipping rope, fastened in an eye 33 rigidly secured on one end of a short rotatable spindle 34 and having its bearing in the case 30. Upon this spindle is placed a crank or eccentric 35, which engages a slot opening (or bearing) in a rocking lever 36, the latter being pivoted at 37. A portion of this rocking lever is bent toward the units Wheel 16 so as to form a paWl 38. A given amount of play is provided for the lever 36 to yield. rearwardly, but it is held in forward position by a spring 39. Hence as the rope 29 is turned, the crank 35 causes the lever 36 to oscillate, and the pawl 38 to engage the recesses 20 of the first counter Wheel 16 when moving in the one direction, but yieldinOly leaves the recess on the return movement, tuus rotating said Wheel one division forward at each revolution.

It is further desirable to provide an arrangement by which after a number of revolutions have been registered, the mechanism may be put quickly back to zero, so that a fresh start may be made therefrom. rThis is carried out as follows :`Upon the periphery of each of the counter Wheels a projection 10 is provided, and in agreement therewith further projections 41 are provided uponthe Y interior of theV case or cap 30 in Which they are inclosed. ln the registering movement of the mechanism the projections 40 upon. the Wheels are out of line with and therefore do notin theirrotation, come in contact with the respective projections 41 upon the interior of the case or cap; but the shaft 13 together With the Wheel mechanism is capable of a lengthwise movement against spring pressure. Usually the spring 26 before mentioned for frictionally preventing the unintentional rotation of the Wheels is utilized for this purpose. At the outer end of the skipping rope handle We provide means by Which the shaft may be first pulled length- Wise until the projections 40 upon the peripheries of the Wheels come into circular line with the projections 41 upon the cap or case, and further by which the whole may be rotated. The means employed for this rotation consists of a disk 42, or the like, secured to the shaft i3 and having a tooth or projection 413 thereon, registerable With a hole or recess in the handle or body 28. NOW, When the disk 42 with its tooth 43 is Withdrawn from the handle 28, the projections 40 are drawn into line With the fixed projections L11, and consequently, if the shaft 13 be now turned around, the Wheels Will be carried with it until the projections 40 thereon are each arrested by the i'ixed projections 4] Which leaves the zero number on each one at the reading opening 32, after which the tooth 43 may be again inserted into the recess in the handle 28, and the Whole is ready for a fresh counting. if desired. this order may be reversed, that is to say, the shaft may be a fixture, and the cap or case capable of being moved lengthwise and turned around so that its inner projections may collect the Zero numbers together, but the arrangement shown appears to be the most convenient.

Briefly the action of the device is as folloWs:-The movement or turns of the moving body-such for instance as the skipping rope 29-causes the crank or eccentric 35 to revolve, and this imparts motion to the to and fro lever 36, by which an intermittent movement is imparted to the first or units counter Wheel 16. At every revolution of the rst counter Wheel its paWl or catch 21 is operated by the stationary cam 22, so as to give an intermittent (one tooth) movement to the succeeding counter Wheel, and so on from Wheel to Wheel, the' numbers respectively upon the peripheries of the Wheels denoting the number of revolutions or movements made.

The operation of the re-starting mechanism has already been clearly described.

Having thus described the invention What We claim is 1. ln a counting machine, in combination, a relatively stationary shaft; a series of counter Wheels loosely mounted thereon; an oscillating member arranged for engagement with one of said Wheels, for imparting an initial intermittent rotation thereto; a slid able paWl carried by said Wheel for imparting a similar movement to the succeeding Wheel; a continuously rotating shaft; and a member carried by the last-mentioned shaft and engaged With the first-mentioned member7 to operate the same.

2. In a counting machine7 the combination of a shaft; a series of counter Wheels carried thereby; an oscillatory member arranged for engagement with one of said Wheels, vfor imparting an initial intermittent rotary movement thereto; and a spring for yieldingly forcing said member toward said WheelJ to effect such engagement.

Z5. In a counting machine, the combination of a shaft; counter Wheels rotatably mounted thereon; and a )awl arranged for vibration transverselyT ot the axis of the shaft for intermittently rotating the first or units Wheel, and for yielding movement in line With said shaft axis to engage and disengage said Wheel.

4. In a counting machine, the combination of a normally fixed shaft; independently rotatable counter Wheels mounted on said shaft; a pawl arranged for vibration transversely of the axis of the shaft for intermittently rotating the first or units Wheel, and for yielding movement in line with said shaft axis7 to engage and disengage said Wheel; and means for moving shaft and Wheels end- Wise to disengage the units Wheel from said pawl, and to subsequently rotate said shaft and Wheels.

in testimony whereof We have hereunto set our hands in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERIC WlLlilMll RUSSELL. HENRY GARDNER ATKINSON. FRANK EDWARD BAKER Witnesses:

J. BERNARD HAYWARD, W. GOODWIN. 

